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its memory. A Maori youth, who from the first came under the care of the Medical Officer, died in the Southland Hospital a few weeks after his enrolment at the Borstal. Before the funeral left the latter institution the Rev. Canon Lush held in the chapel a service rendered doubly solemn by the tense accord of the listeners. In motor-cars furnished by Rotarians all the Maori inmates, together with six representatives of the pakeha, were able to pay last honours to their deceased comrade and to accompany the funeral to St. John's Cemetery, where an allotment had been provided by the authorities of the Anglican Church. The Invercargill Orphans Club gave us a handsome entertainment. To lend it the better effect, the Orphans, by means of furnishings and decorations, transformed our gymnasium into a club-room. Their ablest talent was laid under tribute in a programme voted by the lads to have been the best yet. Other musical friends have likewise won welcome and thanks for their contributions to our evening entertainments. The Visiting Committee, under the chairmanship of Mr. W. H. Woodward, S.M., continued its good work. This year it gave special attention to the Sunday evening meetings, undertaking the responsibility of making full provision for the programmes fortnightly. It also liquidated the debt on the wireless set. The Ladies' Committee continue their much appreciated services in visiting regularly the lads sent over to the public hospital, and also the sick ward at the institution. Further, they sent in an abundant supply of cakes and other Christmas fare for the festive season. In that respect our tables were further bountifully furnished by generous contributions from the Southland Patients' and Prisoners' Aid Society, the ladies of Invercargill, and friends in various" parts of the Dominion. The Invercargill Rotary Club, the Prisoners' Aid Society, the New Zealand Tobacco Co., Ltd., and Messrs. W. D. and H. 0. Wills sent in liberal gifts of cigarettes and tobacco. Each year these mindful donors help to bring the spirit of Christmas into our company. Obituary.—lt would be remiss were no mention made here of the loss sustained by the Invercargill Borstal through the death of Mr. George Hawthorne, an esteemed and faithful member of the staff for the past eighteen years. Mr. Hawthorne, who had been on active service in South Africa and northern India, brought to his work a soldier's sense of duty and discipline, the trained habit of promptly and punctually fulfilling every detail of his trust. Above that, his kindly interest in the lads under his care kept him in individual touch with them. Farm Manager's Report. —The following account gives in specific form a summary of the year's operations on the farm : — Dairying has again been our principal industry. The average number of cows milked during the summer was 130 and during the winter 88. A large quantity of milk, practically the whole surplus output in the wintertime, was sold to local milk-vendors, the balance being separated and the cream sold to the factory. Herd-testing has been successfully carried out throughout the year, enabling a number of the poorer cows to be culled from the herd. The whole of the dairy herd has also been subjected to the tuberculin test. A large number of pigs have been fattened and sold with very satisfactory results, the price of pigs having shown a considerable improvement since last year. There has again been practically no demand for purebred pigs. During the season 480 ewes lambed and 108 per cent, of lambs were marked. The lambs are looking well, but present indications are that the proceeds will be considerably lower this year. A little over eleven bales of wool have been shorn from the ewes, but here again owing to the big drop in prices it is not expected to realize nearly as much as last year, when twelve bales realized £209 6s. lOd. Cattle for rations were purchased by the Farm Manager as opportunity offered. These, together with the culls from the dairy herd, provided sufficient for rations for the institution and in addition allowed for about 150 head to be railed to Paparua Prison for rations for that institution. A heavy yield of hay was stacked, nearly all being as winter feed for stock, with the exception of about 15 tons which was baled and sold. There is an abundance of grass on the farm at present and every indication of another heavy hay crop. The turnip crop was very satisfactory, and with the hay provided ample winter feed for the stock on the farm. Approximately 70 acres have again been sown in turnips to provide feed for next winter. Forty acres of oats were harvested and cut into chaff, practically all of which is being used on the farm. Another 40 acres have been sown in oats this year, which promises to be a fine crop. The potato crop grown on Rhodes's property at Otatara was very satisfactory, providing table potatoes for the institution throughout the year, in addition to which about 16 tons were sold and approximately 20 tons of seed potatoes were supplied to northern institutions. An additional 10 acres on Rhodes's property at Otatara were stumped and ploughed during the winter. This section, with an additional 9 acres, has been planted in potatoes. There is every indication of a good crop, and there should be a considerable quantity for disposal after the requirements of the institution are provided for. An additional 35 acres of reclaimed land north of the Main Farm Road have been sown down in grass. The total area of reclaimed land laid down in grass during the last four years is now 65 acres. Nearly two miles of shelter-belts were fenced and planted with young trees on the freehold property, and about 1,200 trees for shelter were planted on the western boundary of the rifle range. Our lease of Lot 3, Corporation leasehold, expires on the 31st March next, and the lease of the area has been offered for sale by the Borough Council at public auction in three lots. We were successful in purchasing the lease of one section of 70 acres for a term of seven years. This section lies alongside No. 2 dairy, and is of great assistance in our dairying operations. The garden and experimental area provided more than sufficient vegetables to supply the institution for rations all the year round. The Railway Refreshments Branch, Queenstown (Lake steamers) is being supplied with vegetables, and the surplus has been sold in the local auction markets. The following works were carried out during the year : The water-supply has been further extended in the outer paddocks on the farm by the erection of four additional concrete watertroughs. A large drain was cut from the northern boundary of the freehold to the Spey Street
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